“Felt like whole country was riding with me” – Frances Tiafoe recalls 2022 US Open run, Michelle Obama's visit; vows to achieve same success in 2023

Frances Tiafoe recently recalled his 2022 US Open run to the semifinals and his meeting with Michelle Obama and vowed to achieve the same success this year at Flushing Meadows.

With straight-set victories in the first three rounds of the US Open last year, Tiafoe locked horns with 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the pre-quarterfinals. The American brought his A-game to the court on Labor Day and produced one of the best performances of his career to beat the Spaniard 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Going forward, Tiafoe downed ninth-seed Andrey Rublev in straight sets to set up a clash with Carlos Alcaraz in the final four. Although he lost to the eventual champion but made Alcaraz toil hard, as former First Lady Michelle Obama cheered for the American from the stands.

With this year's last Grand Slam tournament in sight, the World No. 10 reflected on his previous campaign at Flushing Meadows during a recent session hosted by the US Open. He revealed Michelle's presence during his semifinal against Alcaraz was special.

“What a run man! I think the biggest moment that stands out for me is having Michelle [Obama] there. She moved the match back 30 minutes. Crazy! But I think it’s the magnitude of the moment," he said.

The American pledged to recreate his last year's performances in 2023 as well.

“I felt like the whole country was riding with me and that’s something I’ll never forget. That’s something that’s very much so repeatable and I plan on being in that position again,” Frances Tiafoe added.

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"We're all proud of him" - Kevin Durant praised Frances Tiafoe during Citi Open

Kevin Durant attended Frances Tiafoe's match against Aslan Karatsev during the Citi Open.

Basketball great Kevin Durant witnessed Frances Tiafoe compete against Aslan Karatsev during the Citi Open earlier this month. Durant praised local boy Tiafoe after he registered a victory over Karatasev in straight sets.

"It was a lot of energy and it was exciting. I'm glad he got the win. Yeah, he's just bringing that energy from this area. He represents right. So, we're all proud of him," he said. (via Tennis TV)

Tiafoe, however, could not reach any further than the quarterfinal of the Washington event as he lost to Dan Evans in the last-eight stage. The 25-year-old's recent performances on the hard courts of North America have been far from impressive.

Tiafoe crashed out of the first round and second round of the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open respectively. He has entered the US Open as tenth seed and will face compatriot Learner Tien to kickstart his campaign in New York.